Orders Disobeyed
by Merqurius
Summary: Following orders always reminded Ianto of Torchwood 1. Occasionally, Jack has to remind him that he isn't like Yvonne Hartman. Five times Jack Harkness punished Ianto Jones and one time he didn't.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary**: Following orders always reminded Ianto of Torchwood 1. Occasionally, Jack has to remind him that he isn't like Yvonne Hartman. Five times Jack Harkness punished Ianto Jones and one time he didn't.

**Disclaimer**: Torchwood belongs to RTD and the BBC. And yes, that rhymes.

Orders Disobeyed

_First time_

Jack's eyes narrowed as he spotted the suited figure that stood on the far end of the corridor of the archives. He checked his watch. It was almost 10:30 pm. He'd sent everybody home hours ago. His youngest employee had seemingly left together with the others, had even had the audacity of wishing Jack a good night, after which he'd gone down to the archives again, secretly working into the night.

Jack approached Ianto quietly. The other man hadn't noticed his presence yet, so Jack had the advantage of surprise when he cleared his throat, making Ianto jump.

"Sir, sorry, I didn't see you." Ianto recovered quickly and indicated the file he'd been studying. "I was just putting this away." He nervously waited for Jack to speak.

"I told you to go home."

"I know, I'm sorry," Ianto spoke quickly and fidgeted with the papers he was holding, shuffling and re-shuffling them, anything to avoid looking his boss in the eye. "I wanted to finish what I'd been doing during the day."

"And that couldn't have waited until tomorrow?" Jack asked sternly.

Ianto shrugged. "Well, I suppose. But I had nothing else to do and I didn't mind."

"That's not the point. You've been working here for four weeks and this is the third time I catch you somewhere you aren't supposed to be." Jack advanced a little further, now invading Ianto's personal space. The younger man responded by backing away.

"It won't happen again, sir."

"That's what you told me the last time. And the time before." Jack held out his hand. "What's that file you're looking at?"

"Nothing. I was just archiving."

Jack jerked his outstretched hand upwards a bit, demanding that Ianto handed over the file. He did so with great reluctance. Jack took a moment to read through the information. "Cybermen?" He asked incredulously. "Why are you looking at data about cybermen? I thought you, of all people, would want to forget what happened at Canary Wharf."

Ianto gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. Jack was surprised at the effect that the mere words 'Canary Wharf' had on him. It was understandable, though. It had taken Jack years to stop flinching whenever the place where the battle would or had taken place, was mentioned. When it seemed unlikely that the young man was going to respond to his queries, Jack said, his voice a little softer: "Ianto, you might think that by studying these files and knowing all the facts, you're going to find it easier to cope with what happened that day. But the details won't make you understand it any better. They will just keep you awake at night."

Ianto responded with a curt nod and made an attempt to step past Jack towards the exit of the archives, escaping the conversation. Jack called him back.

"We're not done here."

Ianto halted and turned. Perfectly patient and perfectly composed. But his posture was just a little bit too stiff and too upright. Jack recognized that he was shaken.

"The first time I found you in the basement after hours, I simply sent you home. The second time, I gave you a warning. Apparently, that wasn't enough. This is the third time."

"It won't happen again," Ianto repeated, but there was a slight undertone of fear in his voice that Jack had no problem detecting.

"I'm going to make sure it won't. For the next seven days, you're going to leave exactly one hour before Owen, Tosh and Suzie do. And I'm going to show you to the door every single time. The next morning, you'll come in at the same time the others do, not a second earlier. Is that understood?"

Ianto's eyes flashed dangerously and his voice gained an edge. "You're punishing me for working late?"

"I'm punishing you for disobeying orders," Jack said sternly. "You haven't been working here for very long, but you should know by now that I expect obedience from my team." He waited to see if Ianto would protest again. His employee opened his mouth, closed it again and schooled his features into a neutral expression, closing himself off again. Jack had almost hoped for an angry reaction, any display of emotion at all, but he was disappointed.

"I understand, sir. Am I dismissed?"

"One more thing," Jack said. His tone was almost gentle. "When we met for the second time, you asked me what you were supposed to do with your memories of Canary Wharf. I'm telling you now that you should accept them and deal with them. You are always welcome to talk to me about them, if you feel comfortable to do so. But you shouldn't obsess. Try to get back your social life this next week. Go out, call your friends from Uni, get in touch with your family. You're twenty-four years old, Ianto. Act your age for once. Have a good time."

He nodded, but Jack wasn't sure his words were sinking in. Then Ianto said hesitantly. "But back then, you told me I wasn't your responsibility."

"That's right," Jack acknowledged. "However, that has changed. I hired you. You work for me now. You _are_ my responsibility and I'll be damned if I let you hide yourself away in this place. Come along."

They were silent as they walked from the archives to the main part of the hub, Jack leading the way. He waited for his employee to put his coat on, then escorted him to the door of the tourist office. "Goodnight, Ianto."

"Goodnight, sir."

After he'd gone back inside, Jack made sure all their information on Canary Wharf and the cybermen came to be under lock and key. He hoped it was enough. The next week, he forced Ianto to leave an hour earlier than the rest of the team. The young man did so without protest. Jack had never caught him after hours again. For a while, he thought Ianto was dealing with his grief. That was, until he discovered Lisa in the basement.

TBC

**A/N**: Because of the length of this piece, I've decided to split it up in six chapters. Please let me know what you think!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary**: Following orders always reminded Ianto of Torchwood 1. Occasionally, Jack has to remind him that he isn't like Yvonne Hartman. Five times Jack Harkness punished Ianto Jones and one time he didn't.

**Disclaimer**: Torchwood belongs to RTD and the BBC. And yes, that rhymes.

Orders Disobeyed

_Second Time_

When Jack knocked on Ianto's door that morning, he wasn't sure what sight would greet him behind it. He remembered in what state he had dropped the young man off the night before and what had happened to get him there.

_The moment the sound of their shots had died down and the cyberwoman's body had dropped to the ground, it seemed as if no-one dared to move. The silence was deafening. Ianto was sobbing without sound on the floor and his sudden outpouring of grief seemed to temporarily freeze everyone's motion. Jack eventually broke the spell._

"_I need you to take the bodies upstairs. Autopsy and clean-up can wait until tomorrow. Just get them to the morgue and we'll deal with it in the morning."_

"_What about …" Gwen's voice trailed off and she indicated Ianto with her head. _

"_I'll take care of him," Jack replied grimly. He stepped forward and grabbed Ianto's upper arm, hauling him up from the floor. It was like lifting a dead weight. He barely gave Ianto a chance to stand on his own, before dragging him forcefully towards the door. _

"_Jack, you're hurting him!" Tosh protested. _

_Jack silenced her with a look and continued on his way. They left the lower levels and entered the main hub. Jack headed for his office and once there, threw Ianto unceremoniously into the chair in front of his desk. He then positioned himself behind his employee and drew his Webley, placing it against the back of the young man's neck. _

"_You hid a cyberman in the basement. You lied to me. You put the whole team in danger. You disobeyed my orders. You held a gun to your colleagues. I told you to finish the job and you didn't. Give me one reason why I shouldn't follow protocol and execute you right now."_

_Ianto flinched as the cold metal was pressed against his skin, but didn't react otherwise. When Jack was finished, he stayed quiet a long time. When he felt the gun being pressed even harder against his neck, he finally replied, in a whisper that was so soft that Jack had to strain his ears to hear it. "I loved her."_

_The Webley dropped from Jack's grip. It hit the ground with a loud clang. Jack wasn't worried about it going off accidentally. He had, after all, emptied the entire magazine into the cyberwoman downstairs. Ianto didn't respond to the sudden absence of the gun. Lisa's death had pushed away all other emotions, leaving only room for uncontrolled grief. Even his rage seemed to have completely dissipated. _

"_Why didn't you tell me? I could have helped."_

_Ianto's voice was flat, emotionless. He stared at the floor. "You would have killed her."_

"_Maybe that would have been the right thing to do. She wasn't Lisa anymore, Ianto. You do see that now?"_

_Ianto's nod was small, almost imperceptible. Jack noticed it anyway. They were silent for a long time after that. Eventually, they heard the others leave. _

"_Not long after you started working here," Jack began, "I told you that you were my responsibility now. I'm not going back on my word. You are still my responsibility. And yes, I'm angry right now. And yes, you're actions will have consequences. But I believe we can get past this."_

_Ianto carefully looked up from the floor. There was something akin to relief in his voice. "No retcon?"_

"_No. But you are suspended from active duty for a month. Come on, I'm taking you home."_

_When he'd driven them to Ianto's apartment, he took the young man inside and sat him down on the couch. He told Ianto he'd stop by the following morning at ten and that he expected Ianto to be dressed and ready then. When Jack left, his employee was still sitting on the couch, staring blankly ahead of him._

A night had passed since then. Jack knew it was unlikely Ianto was still devoid of emotion. It was more plausible that he was either consumed by grief or rage. Jack was about to knock a second time when the door opened.

Ianto's eyes were red from crying and sleep deprivation, but his hair and clothes were immaculate as always, perhaps even more so. He was wearing a black suit and a black tie. Upon seeing his boss, he nodded his head in a formal greeting. "Sir." His voice didn't betray how drastically their relationship had changed compared to just two days ago.

Jack didn't bother asking him how he felt. He knew Ianto would probably reply with a stiff 'Fine, sir' and refuse to share anything else. Instead, he beckoned Ianto to follow him and led him to the SUV. They got in and Jack drove off with neither of them speaking a word. Their journey continued for twenty minutes, until Jack parked the car in front of a row of houses in the heart of Cardiff.

Ianto finally spoke. "Where are we?" He glanced at Jack and then at the house before which they'd stopped.

"We're at the house of Annie Morgan and her parents." He looked over at Ianto and saw the young man grew a little paler. He clearly recognized the name. "When she didn't come home from her job of delivering pizza's yesterday evening, her parents called the police. I've had contact with the officers on the case this morning and have agreed with them that we'll tell the family that Annie has died in a car crash yesterday evening."

Jack opened the car door and when he saw that Ianto hadn't followed him, he walked to the other side of the car and opened Ianto's door. The younger man looked at him with a combination of desperation and fear. "Sir, I can't do this!"

"Yes, you can." Jack told him firmly. "And you will. Come on."

He had to wait another minute before Ianto came out of the car at his own volition. Together, they walked up to the front door of the Morgan's. When Jack knocked, the door opened almost immediately.

"Mr and Mrs Morgan?"

Two people were standing on the doorstep. They were in their fifties and it was clear that they hadn't gone to sleep that night. It was almost if they expected bad news.

"I'm Captain Jack Harkness and I'm with the police," Jack began, holding up an official police badge he was allowed to use in emergencies. He motioned to the man standing half a step behind him. "This is my colleague, Ianto Jones. I'm afraid I have bad news for you."

Mrs Morgan tightened her grip on her husband's arm. "It's about Annie, isn't it? Is she okay? Is she hurt?"

Jack was silent for a moment and before he had a chance to speak again, Mr Morgan said softly: "She's dead, isn't she?"

Jack nodded, secretly glad about just having to confirm the suspicions, rather than introduce the subject himself. "Annie was involved in a car crash yesterday. She died on impact. I'm sorry."

As Mrs Morgan collapsed against her husband, Jack felt like an intruder on their grief. They waited on the doorstep, until the family had gathered themselves a bit. Then, after Mr Morgan had invited them in, they moved to the living room. Jack sat down on a chair, while Mr and Mrs Morgan took the couch. Ianto preferred to stand.

"Can we see her?" Mrs Morgan asked, her voice still thick with tears, "I mean, can we see her body?"

Jack sighed. "I'm afraid that that is impossible. During the crash, both cars involved caught fire."

"But how can you be sure it's her?" Mr Morgan asked desperately. "Maybe she wasn't the one driving! She could still be alive!"

"We were able to identify her vehicle and personal belongings. The dental records also matched." Jack explained. "I'm sorry, but we're sure."

Mrs Morgan shuddered and took a shaky breath. "I don't want to hear this. I can't hear this." She got up. "I'm going to make some tea, okay? I can't hear the details. I really can't. I'm sorry."

"I'll help you," Ianto volunteered. Jack nodded his consent and Ianto followed Annie's mother into the kitchen.

As Ianto set about boiling water, Mrs Morgan spoke again: "Annie was only working in that pizza place in order to earn enough money to go to college, you know. She was a smart girl."

"I met her," Ianto blurted out. "She delivered a pizza to me a few times. She was nice, always took the time to chat."

Mrs Morgan managed a watery smile. "That's kind of you to say so."

Ianto's heart broke a little as she said it. He was suddenly painfully aware that Annie's mother was talking to her killer. A wave of guilt hit him so forcefully that he swayed on the spot. He tried to recover quickly.

"Are you okay?" Mrs Morgan asked him. She gave him one of those looks only a mother could give, scrutinizing and concerned at the same time. "You look a little pale. Have you eaten already?"

"I'm fine, ma'am."

"Nonsense." She sat him down at the kitchen table and pressed a biscuit into his hand. Then she joined him at the table and as they waited for the water to boil, she told him about Annie. She told him about her daughter's hobbies, her dreams and her ambitions. Ianto simply listened, occasionally offering a word of comfort that felt like betrayal. Eventually, they rejoined Jack and Mr Morgan, who seemed to have discussed all they needed to discuss. Jack gave them the final details, before politely excusing himself and Ianto.

At the door, Mrs Morgan told them: "Thank you. For telling us, I mean."

"It's our job," Jack said firmly. "Again, we're really sorry for your loss, Mr and Mrs Morgan."

"Thank you, Mr Harkness," Mr Morgan replied. "And you, Mr Jones."

They shook hands a final time and got back in the SUV. Jack drove off and as the car sped away from the house, Ianto started crying in the seat next to him. It happened so suddenly that it startled Jack. The young man on the passenger side simply dropped his head in his hands and began to sob. Jack decided not to stop the car.

"You didn't kill Annie," he told Ianto. He kept his eyes on the road, careful not to dispense any other form of comfort. He wanted Ianto to listen. "A cyberman killed her. The fact that that cyberman resided in our basement, is something for which the both of us are to blame. You didn't tell me about it, but I didn't look hard enough. Today, I chose to show you the consequences that actions can have and how I always have to consider those consequences." He glanced at Ianto for a moment. "I didn't want to kill her, Ianto. I don't wish to kill alien species. I'm not like that. But in this case, I needed to consider the bigger picture. I couldn't take the chance that she escaped." Ianto didn't even look at him. "I know you don't want to think about that right now, but before you come back, you need to realize that."

Ianto didn't react. Jack didn't expect him to. He briefly touched the younger man's shoulder, stroking his back for just a second, before grabbing the wheel again. He dropped Ianto off at his apartment, but decided not to go in. Instead, he called Toshiko.

"Tosh? Yeah, it's Jack. Could you go round to Ianto's this afternoon?" He waited for a moment while she asked a question. "No, he's fine. He just needs a friend right now."

TBC

**A/N**: Thanks to all the kind people who reviewed! I appreciate it a lot. I hope you like this chapter as well.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary**: Following orders always reminded Ianto of Torchwood 1. Occasionally, Jack has to remind him that he isn't like Yvonne Hartman. Five times Jack Harkness punished Ianto Jones and one time he didn't.

**Disclaimer**: Torchwood belongs to RTD and the BBC. And yes, that rhymes.

**Warning**: spoilers for 1x10 "Out of Time".

Orders Disobeyed

_Third Time_

The atmosphere in the hub had been tense all day. Just half a week earlier, they had bid their farewells to the three people from 1953. Especially Owen was still suffering from the loss of Diane and had been in a very foul mood every since. He'd been disrespectful to Jack, had shouted at Gwen and with one snarky comment, managed to almost reduce Tosh to tears. Right now, his sights were aimed at Ianto.

"Teaboy!"

Ianto appeared at the top of the stairs and looked down at Owen, his features schooled in a neutral expression.

"Get me some more coffee."

Ianto walked down the stairs and took the empty cup Owen had left. Then, he calmly turned to the doctor. "No. I think you've had quite enough for the day. Your manners are starting to suffer."

Owen dropped the scalpel he'd been holding and took a few steps forward. "Look, you fucker," he began, not noticing the sudden dangerous gleam in Ianto's eyes. Neither did he notice Jack, who was walking by the entrance to the morgue gallery at that moment and halted when he heard the raised voices. "Just because you shag the boss, doesn't mean you don't have to do your bloody job!"

Ianto dropped the mug and reached Owen within just a few steps. He was the one that had done the most work when it came to creating new identities for the three stranded travelers and now that they were gone, he was exhausted and had a short fuse. Without hesitating or thinking about the consequences, he drew his right fist back and punched his colleague in the nose. Owen jumped at the chance to release some of his aggression and retaliated immediately. Soon, the two men were fighting, oblivious to their surroundings. Both were so enraged that at first, they seemed pretty evenly matched, but it didn't take long for Owen to get the upper hand.

Jack needed just a few seconds to alert Gwen and Tosh, and together they rushed towards the autopsy bay. Gwen and Tosh managed to wrench Owen off Ianto and Jack hauled his youngest employee up from the floor and restrained him by putting his arms around his waist, holding Ianto back.

Owen quickly shrugged himself loose from the two women, but didn't attempt to start the fight again. Instead, he pressed his hands to his nose, trying to stem the blood flow. Ianto wanted to regain his freedom as well, but Jack held on to him, afraid of what would happen if he let them both go.

"My office. Now!" He commanded, pulling Ianto back until Owen was half-way up the stairs and on his way.

Once they had arrived, Jack made his employees stand in front of his desk, well apart from each other. He remained standing himself as well, which made him more able to intervene if that proved to be necessary.

"What the hell do you think you were doing?"

Neither of them replied.

"This organization works as a team. If we start fighting amongst ourselves, how on earth are we going to do our jobs?"

His words were starting to have effect. Ianto shuffled his feet guiltily and Owen turned his head to the right, purposefully looking away from Jack and Ianto.

"Ianto, I think you threw the first punch."

Ianto looked him in the eye, his own eyes dark with anger. "I was provoked, sir."

"I know," Jack said. "But you know better than to rise to it. If you'd let him be, Owen would be on his way to home and you wouldn't be in trouble. However, that doesn't mean," he turned to Owen and rounded on him, "that _you_ should be allowed to provoke Ianto. Neither should you, once the first punch is thrown, dive headfirst into a fight. Now, I can't lose two of my people by putting them on suspension. You've been behaving like six-year-olds and therefore I'm going to be punishing you as such."

Owen spoke for the first time, sarcasm heavy in his voice. "What? You're going to put us on the naughty step?"

Jack shook his head. "I don't have a naughty step. Yet. What I do have, however, are two corners. I suggest that you, Owen, take the right one and you, Ianto, the left. Stand facing the wall."

Owen stared at him in incredulity. Jack looked right back. Owen had known Jack longer than Ianto and knew for sure when the older man was deadly serious and dangerously pissed off. He didn't want to risk a suspension. The idea of sitting at home for a few days with nothing to do but regret Diane's departure, was less than ideal. After a moment, he made up his mind and stomped towards the corner without further comment. Ianto watched him go and then turned to Jack.

"This is ridiculous. I'm twenty-four, I'm not going to stand in the corner!"

Jack took a step forward, invading Ianto's personal space. "If I say you're going to do it, you'll do it." He wasn't surprised that Ianto was giving him more trouble than Owen. Owen hadn't been sleeping since Diane had gone and on top of that, was still grieving. The medic was exhausted after his short outburst of aggression. Though Ianto was also tired, he had more energy left than Owen and was still running on adrenaline. "So unless you want to be suspended for the rest of the week, you're going to listen to me." Ianto still didn't budge. Jack took the time to look meaningfully at a metal ruler on his desk. The young man followed his gaze. "Right now, Ianto, or I'll be showing you another punishment for six-year-olds."

Ianto turned a shade of deep red, rolled his eyes, gave Jack a final vindictive look and then strolled to the left corner, where he stood ramrod straight, trying to maintain as much dignity as possible. Jack first checked whether either of his employees wasn't seriously hurt by their fight and when he was satisfied that they'd both live, he started on the pile of paper work on his desk. For over an hour, the only noise produced in the room was his pen scratching the paper.

When ninety minutes had passed, Owen started to get restless and began rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet. Jack stilled his movement with just one look. Ianto hadn't moved a muscle since being banished to the corner. His head was slightly raised and he barely blinked. It was as if he'd shut himself off. Jack started on a new report when he heard Tosh calling him from downstairs. He went to assist her with the alien object she was studying.

Owen waited until Jack's footsteps died away and then turned his head towards Ianto. "This is ridiculous. _He_ is ridiculous."

Ianto answered with a quick nod, sparing Owen only the smallest glance. He felt like a child, not wanting to be caught by the teacher while chatting to another pupil.

"I mean, it's typical, of course."

Ianto turned his head fully this time, not able to help being intrigued. "Typical?"

"Yeah," Owen replied casually. "Jack's getting older, isn't he? I suppose being immortal messes up your biological clock a little, but he's at a stage where he needs to be a father figure sometimes. And we just happen to substitute for his children."

"You think that's it?"

"I know it," Owen said confidently. "Textbook case."

"So what do we do?" Ianto asked, quickly looking behind him to see whether Jack was already coming back.

"Well, I think we better humour him. He just needs to get it out of his system. He'll probably be fine tomorrow. He might even be embarrassed by this and probably feels the need to make it up to us."

Ianto wasn't so sure about that last point. Jack really wasn't one for regret or apologies. "So that's what we're doing right now? We're humouring him? It's not that he can be really scary when he's angry?"

"No, that's not it." Owen said decisively, before narrowing his eyes at Ianto. "You're not scared of him, are you?"

"Of course not," Ianto said quickly. "I was just checking."

"Good." They were silent for a bit. "Hey, Ianto?"

Ianto looked at Owen again.

"Fancy going for a pint when he lets us out of here?"

"Sure."

At that moment, they both heard footsteps on the stairs and turned back to the wall. Ianto was standing stiff at attention again, while Owen adopted his position with his hands in his pockets. The door flung open and Jack strode back in, glaring at them. "Did I say you were allowed to talk?"

"No."

"No, sir."

"Then don't!"

TBC

**A/N**: Thanks again for all your great comments! Really love reading them. The next chapter will be up in a day or two.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary**: Following orders always reminded Ianto of Torchwood 1. Occasionally, Jack has to remind him that he isn't like Yvonne Hartman. Five times Jack Harkness punished Ianto Jones and one time he didn't.

**Disclaimer**: Torchwood belongs to RTD and the BBC. And yes, that rhymes.

**Warning**: spoilers for 2x02 "Sleeper". Also, while the previous chapters dealt with a more 'official' type of punishment, this one revolves about Jack and Ianto's relationship and is consensual. If that makes sense. Feel free to skip this chapter if it isn't your thing.

Orders Disobeyed

_Fourth Time_

The others had already gone home. Owen had taken Beth's body down to the morgue, but Jack had told him that the autopsy could wait until tomorrow. The hub was eerily quiet. Ianto liked the idea that it was just Jack and him now. Ever since Jack had gotten back from his trip with The Doctor, they had either spent the night together at the hub or at Ianto's apartment. Their evenings were almost domestic on occasion. But right now, domesticity was about the furthest thing from both their minds.

At the moment, Ianto was sitting on a metal chair in the interrogation room. It was the same chair Beth had sat in while Jack and Gwen were questioning her that afternoon. The metal felt cold beneath his skin. He turned his head experimentally from side to side, but Jack had blindfolded him with the black and pink tie he'd been wearing that day. He couldn't see a thing. He shifted slightly on the chair. It was cold, but Jack had been very insistent when he told Ianto to strip back in his office. Ianto had obeyed, of course, and Jack had led him blindfolded to this room, handcuffing Ianto's arms behind him as he sat him down on the chair. Ianto was completely vulnerable.

He knew that Jack was still somewhere in the room, but as long as the older man wasn't making any noise, Ianto had no way of knowing where he was positioned. Suddenly, he heard Jack's voice coming from behind his left shoulder.

"You've been challenging me all day, Mr Jones," Jack purred in his ear and Ianto shivered involuntarily. "First by criticizing my interrogation techniques." He started circling around him. "Apparently, I don't frighten you." His voice was suddenly so close that Ianto leant back against the metal back of the chair. He felt Jack's breath on his face. "Is that still true?"

Ianto swallowed. His throat was very dry. "No, sir."

"Good." Jack moved in front of him again. "Then, you questioned my orders regarding the mind probe. You mimicked someone sitting in an electric chair. I'm not used to unprofessionalism from you."

"I'm sorry, sir."

"O, you will be," Jack whispered, moving closer. He grabbed Ianto's hair and pulled his head up. "And finally, you took the liberty of discussing my manners in bed with Gwen. In front of the team and our prisoner. You called them atrocious. I think punishment is in order for that."

"Y-Yes, sir."

"Tonight, it's going to be just us and this room. For as long as it takes."

Ianto felt a thrill of anticipation run through his whole body. Punishment had seldom sounded so appealing.

TBC

**A/N**: It's a bit short, I know. And a bit different from the other chapters. Hope you still liked it. The next one will be longer, I promise.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary**: Following orders always reminded Ianto of Torchwood 1. Occasionally, Jack has to remind him that he isn't like Yvonne Hartman. Five times Jack Harkness punished Ianto Jones and one time he didn't.

**Disclaimer**: Torchwood belongs to RTD and the BBC. And yes, that rhymes.

**Warning**: spoilers for 2x11 "Adrift".

Orders Disobeyed

_Fifth Time_

"He's asking for you."

Gwen had appeared so suddenly behind him that Ianto almost dropped the coffee cup that he'd been holding. He turned around to face her, nervous. "How angry is he?"

Gwen sighed. "Angry enough to suspend me for three days." She waved away his impending apology. "I deserved it. I kept looking for Jonah, despite his explicit orders not to. You just sped up the process by giving me the GPS." She placed a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. "Look, I'd better leave. Jack told me to go home straight away. You should go up." She squeezed his shoulder for a moment. "Good luck. I'm sure it'll be fine."

Ianto took a deep breath, then began the ascend the stairs. He knocked on the door to Jack's office and was invited in almost immediately.

"Sit down," Jack commanded.

Ianto obeyed instantly. Ever since his relationship with Jack had started to get more serious, they had decided there had to be a clear separation between their roles at work and after hours. It was clear that Jack was now acting as his boss, and not his lover.

"I made it very clear to you that Gwen wasn't to know about Flat Holm. You disobeyed my orders and gave her the directions anyway, is that right?"

"Yes, sir."

"So what am I going to do with you now?" Jack said regretfully. He went to sit behind his desk and sounded more sincere than angry.

"Sorry?" Ianto asked bemusedly.

"This is not the first time, Ianto," Jack told him sternly. "Once, I had to send you home early for a whole week after you had disobeyed my orders for the third time by staying in the hub after I told you to leave. I've suspended you for a month, after you hid Lisa from me. I made you and Owen stand in a corner one time after you'd been fighting. You sided with the team when it came to opening the rift. And today, you went against my wishes. Again. Nothing seems to work with you and I can't have that on my team. I need my employees to trust and obey me."

Ianto flinched at his last remark. "I do trust you," he said quietly.

Jack shook his head. "I don't think you do. I don't blame you, Ianto. Especially not after I left with The Doctor."

Ianto shook his head before Jack had even finished talking. "It's not that. I trust you. I just thought that I -"

"You just thought that you knew better," Jack interrupted grimly. "And that's the problem."

"I stand by my decision," Ianto argued. "I still think Gwen and the families had the right to know."

Jack sighed. "Fine. Then this discussion is pointless." He got up from behind his desk and walked past Ianto towards the door of his office.

The younger man turned around in his chair. "Wait! What are you going to do with me?"

Jack shrugged. "Nothing I'll do to you will make the tiniest bit of difference, I believe. I just want you to go to Nikki Bevan's house tomorrow and do a follow-up. Write a report about what happened to her and how she is coping."

Before Ianto had a chance to reply, Jack disappeared through the door, leaving him alone. Ianto clenched his fists and decided to go home himself, trying to ignore the heavy weight of guilt settling into his stomach.

TW

Ianto Jones arrived at Nikki Bevan's house at the respectable hour of ten o'clock in the morning. He'd avoided going to the hub, because he didn't want to face Jack. The words they'd exchanged yesterday night still hurt. He didn't feel like driving, so he'd taken the bus to the other side of Cardiff, where Nikki lived.

He rang the doorbell and waited patiently. The assignment that Jack had given him wasn't too unusual. Ianto had been asked to do follow-up interviews many times throughout his time with Torchwood 3. He rang the doorbell again. There was still no movement inside.

Ianto stepped back and looked at the house. It seemed as if no-one was home. There was, however, a neighbour in the garden next to Nikki Bevan's house.

"Excuse me, sir?" Ianto spoke up. The man looked at him. "This is Nikki Bevan's house, right?"

"Sure is," the man told him cheerfully, before a shadow passed over his face. "Shame what happened to her. Tragedy. She was a real nice lady."

"What happened to her?"

"You don't know?" The man asked him. He stepped a bit closer to Ianto, almost as if he wished to impart a particularly good piece of gossip to him. "Apparently, she tried to kill herself yesterday morning. Slit her wrists. Her sister found her and she was taken to hospital. The paramedics were there just in time."

"What hospital?" Ianto asked quickly.

"Cardiff General, I believe."

Ianto thanked the man and stalked away from the house. He hailed a cab in the street and told the driver to take him to the hospital. He couldn't help but wonder whether Jack had known this when he'd given him the assignment yesterday evening.

Torchwood identification allowed Ianto immediate access to the hospital. He quickly found a kind nurse willing to take him to Nikki Bevan's room. She was still in Intensive Care. They paused in the corridor.

"How is she?" Ianto asked quietly. It always felt wrong to talk loudly or even at a normal volume in a hospital.

The nurse looked in through one of the windows at the still figure on the bed. "I'm afraid her condition is still critical. She lost a lot of blood and has been in a coma ever since she was brought in. Technically, she should be able to wake up, but it's almost if she doesn't want to. We've seen this before with victims of a traumatic event. They somehow lack the willpower to continue living."

Ianto was silent for a moment. He knew exactly what the traumatic event was to which the nurse was referring. "Can I go in and sit with her for a while?"

"Of course." She held the door open for him.

Ianto slowly entered the room. He felt like an intruder. Nikki Bevan's eyes were closed. She was connected to several monitors. Ianto heard the steady beeping of the one that displayed her heart beat. The stark white bandages around her wrists were very noticeable against her pale skin. Ianto looked helplessly around at the nurse. She followed him into the room and put a chair beside the bed. He reluctantly sat.

"It's okay for you to talk to her, you know," the woman told him. "There's always a chance she'll be able to hear you."

"I'm not much of a talker," Ianto replied, his eyes fixed on the figure in the bed.

The nurse briefly laid a hand on his shoulder. "I'll give you a moment alone. Call me if you need anything."

He nodded once and she left. It felt like he sat there for hours, while in reality it probably wasn't even fifteen minutes. Mentally, he reviewed his and Gwen's actions. Together they'd put this woman here. Gwen had been searching for the truth, without any consideration for the feelings of the families of the missing people. Ianto had been operating out of more selfish motives. He'd found out about Flat Holm not long after he'd started working at Torchwood 3. It had taken him several months to broach the subject with Jack. The older man was still reluctant to talk about it, even years later. He'd hoped that when Gwen found out about it, he'd have someone to share the experience with. Someone he could talk to about what it felt like to hear those horrible screams.

He'd led Gwen to Flat Holm and Gwen had led Nikki there. Nikki had been looking for her son for months and they'd taken that search away from her. With that, they'd taken any hope that Nikki would ever see her teenage son again. It was more than the woman had been able to handle. Ianto didn't blame her.

Eventually, he got up. He leaned forward. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Then he quickly left the room.

TW

Jack answered his cell phone as soon as it rang. "Ianto?"

"_Sir_." His voice sounded thin and soft.

"Where are you?"

"_At the hospital_." Ianto seemed like a lost little boy and Jack felt a pang of sympathy for him.

"Wait right there. I'm coming to get you."

"_Okay_."

TW

Jack parked the SUV in the hospital parking lot. Ianto was sitting on a bench near the entrance, his elbows on his knees, staring at the concrete floor. Jack joined him. For a while, neither of them spoke.

"Did you know?" Ianto eventually asked, looking sideways at Jack. "What she had done?"

"I knew." Jack replied. "The hospital called me yesterday."

Ianto nodded, accepting the information without comment. He didn't blame Jack. "I thought knowing where her son was, would give her closure. I thought she could move on then."

"It doesn't work like that," Jack said gently. "Sometimes, it's better not to know."

Ianto nodded again. "It scares me," he told Jack suddenly. "Following your orders all the time without question. It's what they expected us to do at Torchwood 1. It's what Yvonne Hartman expected from us. And it led to the battle of Canary Wharf in the end." He made eye-contact with Jack, almost begging for some level of understanding. "I do trust you. I really do. But sometimes, it's just difficult," he finished lamely. He tried to get up without knowing where he wanted to go, but Jack pulled him back.

"I'm not like Yvonne Hartman, Ianto. You do know that, right? I've tried to do everything to distance myself from Torchwood London."

"Yes, I know," Ianto sighed. "I'm sorry. About everything, I mean."

"Me too," Jack told him. Ianto looked up in surprise. "I shouldn't have questioned your trust in me. You've proven yourself time and time again. And I should've realized that it would be difficult for you to follow my orders without me explaining my motivation behind them. I should have told you what I thought the knowledge of her son's fate would do with Nikki Bevan."

"You sent me here as a punishment, didn't you?" There was no resentment in Ianto's voice.

"Yes," Jack admitted. "Yesterday I told you that I didn't believe I could get through to you. That was lie. But I did feel like you had to see this."

"I think I did," he looked at Jack, feeling oddly vulnerable after talking so frankly to him. "The report will be on your desk tomorrow, sir."

Jack nodded. He hesitated whether to tell Ianto not to bother with the report, but in the end, decided to let him write it. They needed to end this episode properly. He got up from the bench and offered Ianto his hand, making it clear that as far as he was concerned, the conversation was over. The younger man took it and Jack pulled him up, before giving him a brief hug. Ianto stiffened at first, but then relaxed.

"Come on," Jack said. He was very much aware that this was the first time Ianto had apologized to him after a punishment. That made this also the first time Jack was able to extend forgiveness without just having to move on in silence. He started walking towards the SUV. "I'm taking you home."

Ianto followed him.

TBC

**A/N**: I hope you liked this one! Bit longer than the last one, hopefully not too out of character. Would love to know what you think! (And I'm going to see Gareth David-Lloyd tomorrow! He's giving a concert in Amsterdam. I'm impossibly excited, that's why I'm mentioning it here, :P)


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary**: Following orders always reminded Ianto of Torchwood 1. Occasionally, Jack has to remind him that he isn't like Yvonne Hartman. Five times Jack Harkness punished Ianto Jones and one time he didn't.

**Disclaimer**: Torchwood belongs to RTD and the BBC. And yes, that rhymes.

Orders Disobeyed

_One Time He Didn't_

"Mr Jones?"

Ianto looked up at the nurse standing at his bedside. He tried to sit up a little more against the propped up pillows and winced as his body protested.

"Visiting hours are almost over. You still haven't found anyone who is able to take you home?"

"No," Ianto said sadly, but then added quickly: "But I can go home by myself. Really, I'll be fine."

The nurse looked at him regretfully. "I'm sorry, but if you have no-one to take care of you, it would be very unwise to release you. I'm afraid you'll have to stay the night."

Ianto glanced at the clock. "There are still a few minutes left, right? Perhaps one of my colleagues will come. I mean, they're quite busy, but I'd expected them to come by." He trailed off.

"They still might, Mr Jones." The pity in the nurse's voice was evident. She clearly believed he was a sad case.

Ianto sighed. He'd really expected them to come. Alright, maybe not Owen. He wasn't the concerned type. But perhaps Tosh and Gwen. And Jack. He was fairly sure Jack was angry with him, though. Maybe he didn't want to see him anymore. Or maybe he just forgot, a small voice in the back of Ianto's mind whispered. Maybe he didn't care.

The nurse returned ten minutes later. "Visiting hours are over, Mr Jones," she informed him sympathetically. "We better make you comfortable for the night."

"That won't be necessary," a voice suddenly came from the door. "He'll be coming with me."

"Jack!" Ianto was both worried and relieved. He eyed the man in the doorway nervously.

The nurse looked at Ianto, then at Jack. "You want to go with this man?"

"Yes," Ianto said decisively, but faltered slightly when he took in Jack's stern demeanour. "Yes, I do."

"Alright," she told him cheerfully. "I'll get a wheelchair for you and you'll be out of here in no time at all."

"I don't need a wheelchair," Ianto protested. "I'm fine. I can walk." He decided to prove the point by throwing off the covers, twisting his body with a painful grimace and placing both his feet on the cold floor.

"Mr Jones, I really think it would be wiser-"

"Don't mind him," Jack interrupted the nurse. He strode to Ianto's bedside in just a few steps and loomed after the younger man. He then glared down at Ianto, who, after a second of deliberation, moved his legs back into the bed. "We'd appreciate a wheelchair."

Ianto sighed in an almost petulant manner, but thought it wise not to comment. The nurse left the ward and a tense silence remained. Jack threw the covers back over Ianto, making it clear that they weren't leaving just yet. While waited for him to speak, Ianto nervously smoothed down the covers and avoided eye contact.

"Ianto, do you know what happens when I die?"

"Yes," The young man replied hesitantly and confused. "Of course I do." He was waiting for the yelling to start, but Jack's voice was eerily calm.

"Tell me."

"Well, you come back to life."

Jack nodded. "And what happens when I get hurt?"

"You heal."

"That's right. What happens if _you_ die?"

Ianto saw where Jack was going with this. "I didn't die. It wasn't that dangerous! I'm fine."

Jack's eyes flashed dangerously. He repeated his question, laying emphasis on every word: "_What happens if you die?_"

"I won't come back." Ianto replied reluctantly.

"What happens when you get hurt?"

"I end up here," Ianto spat out. "Do you really think I don't know that?"

"Apparently you don't!" Jack retaliated angrily, finally letting his calm façade drop. "You threw yourself in front of me! I should have been the one that was attacked by that alien, but you deliberately put yourself in the line of fire!"

Ianto let the rage wash over him. "Can you imagine what it would feel like if I died?" He asked the older man suddenly.

Jack appeared thrown by the question. "Why do you say that?"

"Every time I watch you die, I'm afraid you won't come back," Ianto explained softly. "Every time you die, it feels like you're really gone. And when that thing went for you, I didn't even think about what I did. I know you're always in pain after your resurrections. I guess I just didn't want to see you hurt again."

Jack sank down on an empty bed next to Ianto's. All the anger seemed to have left him. He only seemed weary. "Ianto, you can't protect me."

"I know."

Jack waited, sensing that Ianto was holding something back. The silence didn't last long.

"I couldn't protect Lisa either."

Jack sighed and moved to Ianto's bed, placed a careful arm around the younger man's shoulders and pulled him against his chest, taking care not to hurt him. Ianto's head rested against Jack's shoulder, while Jack's fingers started threading softly through his hair. "You have done the best you possibly could for both of us. And I'm sorry. I should have visited you early. I was just so afraid I'd lost you this afternoon and I guess it was easier to be pissed off than worried."

"'s okay," Ianto said, leaning against Jack. Normally, he'd have shied away from the comfort, but after fearing that his boss would leave him in the hospital, he welcomed the closeness. "I'm sorry too. You were right. What I did, was stupid. And I'm glad you still came to get me."

"Always."

They sat together, neither of them saying a word, until the nurse returned with the wheelchair. Jack helped Ianto put some clothes on, before lifting him gently into the chair, not minding the younger man's protest that he was perfectly capable of doing it himself. Jack also insisted that Ianto wore his military greatcoat over his clothes. Ianto argued that it was too big for him and that it made him feel like a child who'd raided his father's closet, but again, his remarks were pointedly ignored.

As Jack wheeled him through the hospital corridors towards the exit, Ianto asked him: "Am I in trouble, sir?" He placed a slight emphasis on the last word, making it clear to Jack that he was once more addressing him as his boss.

"What, for almost killing yourself and giving me my first grey hairs?"

"Yes, for that."

"No, you're not in trouble," Jack decided. He knew Ianto sometimes had difficulty following orders. He also knew he hadn't exactly ordered Ianto not to put himself in harm's way, but that if he'd done so, Ianto wouldn't have stepped aside today. That thought worried him, but it touched him too. He liked the idea that there was one person who didn't take his immortality for granted and was still willing to try his best to avoid his deaths.

"Really?" Ianto asked, surprised. "Not that I'm complaining or anything, but why not? You seemed pretty angry."

Jack pressed a kiss on top of Ianto's head. "Life's too short to be angry at each other."

Ianto wanted to point out that Jack's life was going to be far from short, but something in his boss' tone kept him from speaking.

"Besides," Jack continued lightly. "I'm going to spend the next week taking extremely good care of you. And for reasons I still can't fathom, you always seem to think my cooking is punishment enough."

Ianto laughed.

The End

**A/N**: That was it. Hope the end wasn't too sappy and still a bit in character. I must thank you for all the fantastic reviews you've left over the past chapters. It was a fantastic encouragement and I truly appreciated it!

**A/N2**: Gareth David-Lloyd in concert was brilliant. Me and my friends walked towards the entrance of the café and suddenly saw him standing there in front of the door! We came to a dead stop and didn't dare to go in for at least ten minutes. Finally, we gathered courage and for over an hour, stood right next to him while he was talking to his friends/band (and we to each other, trying not to seem like stalkers. Which we so were.) Anyway, enough about that, thanks again for reading the story!


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